What Factors Are Associated with Readmissions After Rib Fractures in Older Patients?

Rib fractures in older patients are associated with complications and hospital readmissions. Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using a 2017 U.S. national database to explore this association in 25,000 older patients with multiple rib fractures.

Approximately 20% of patients were readmitted in the 3 months following the incident fractures. About one third of those readmissions likely were related to direct sequelae of the rib fracture (e.g., sepsis, hemothorax, pneumonia, respiratory failure), in the authors' assessment. The remainder were associated with cardiovascular and infectious disease comorbidities. Analysis of 2019 readmission data yielded similar results.